Aerobics programme has big benefits for autistic children, Hong Kong study finds
Research from Education University, Chinese University and Baptist University was found to have improved children’s physical, social and communication skills
Almost 80 per cent of parents whose autistic children attended an aerobics programme believed the training had improved their children’s social and communication skills, the programme’s designers have found.
The findings were released on Saturday by the team from Education University, Chinese University and Baptist University.
The training includes various games that aim to enable children to get to know each other, play and improve their physical strength together. Activities include asking children to sing the same song together before the games and asking them to run between two baskets multiple times and move a beanbag from one to the other.
“The effectiveness of the training has been significant,” said co-designer Dr Dorothy Chan Fung-ying, of Chinese University’s department of paediatrics. “We will promote this training to all kindergartens, mainstream primary schools and social welfare organisations.”
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Researchers conducted two test programmes between 2013 and 2015, with 65 autistic children taking part in four-month and eight-month training courses – two one-hour sessions each week – at two special child care centres and six centres belonging to the Boys’ and Girls’ Club Association.
Designers interviewed these children’s parents using questionnaires, asking them how they thought their children had changed in different physical and mental aspects.